Motorola Sues TiVo For Infringing On DVR Patents

Nothing like a little courtroom drama (or "litigation," as they call it)
to get the watercooler talk started, right? Motorola Mobility has just
sued TiVo (yeah, TiVo!) for doing the unthinkable: infringing its
patents for digital video recorders (DVRs). Ouch. Considering that DVRs
are TiVo's bread and butter, it's probably not comfortable to be dealing
with accusations like this.

The complain was just recently filed, and it notes that Motorola had
"acquired its DVR patents through an acquisition of Imedia, which filed
for patents in April 1995." The whole thing is pretty complicated; Moto
is apparently filing the suit to protect its own interests after TiVo
sued Verizon Communications for patent infringement. Why would Motorola
care if TiVo sued Verizon? Because Verizon uses Motorola technology, and
so -- by a strange linkage of events -- they could be in hot water too
if TiVo wins against Verizon.

Here's what Motorola said in a brief statement: "TiVo is attempting to assert its patents against technology disclosed
and claimed in Motorola Mobility's patents, despite the fact that
Motorola Mobility's patents were filed more than three years before
TiVo's patents."

Looks like we may need to get settled in; we doubt this bickering will end anytime soon.